Summary4 min read

NPR News Now – 12-12-2025 3PM EST

Host: Louise Schiavone
Date: December 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode provides a concise roundup of the hour’s top national and international news. Major stories include flood recovery in Washington state, new restrictions on Head Start applications, ongoing diplomatic tensions concerning Ukraine, Wall Street’s downturn, a controversial presidential pardon, and significant labor and religious events in Italy and Mexico.

Key News Segments and Insights

1. Flood Recovery Efforts in Washington State

[00:15 – 00:57]

National Guard Response: Guard members are going door-to-door to evacuate homes in agricultural communities hit hard by flooding.
Cleanup Concerns:
- Casey Martin (NPR): “We saw huge logs floating down the river, even a couple of power poles… People are really worried about downed power lines and just getting around and then also just getting home and finding, you know, in what state their farm is going to be in, what state their home is going to be in.” [00:32]
- Past floods have closed major highways for several days.
Public Sentiment: Anxiety prevails regarding property status and infrastructure recovery.

2. Head Start Funding Controversy: Banned Words

[00:57 – 01:52]

New Restrictions: The Trump administration requires nearly 200 words, including “accessible,” “black,” “minority,” “women,” and “disabilities,” to be removed from Head Start grant applications.
Legal Challenge: Several Head Start programs are suing, claiming the ban violates Congressional intent for the program which serves diverse and disabled children.
Significance:
- Cory Turner (NPR): “Head Start plays a key role in helping young children with disabilities, though the list also includes the word disabilities.” [01:48]
Memorable Moment: The restriction’s impact includes even such fundamental terms as those describing the children the program exists to serve.

3. Diplomatic Pressure on Ukraine

[01:52 – 02:49]

Next Round of Talks: Delegates gather in Paris while the U.S. pressures Ukraine to cede Donbas to Russia.
Ukrainian Position:
- Public polls show fierce opposition to territorial concessions.
- President Zelensky is considering a public referendum, despite constitutional bans on wartime elections.
- Support from Europe is declining financially.
- Ukrainian Lawmaker, Ivana Klimpushtinsata: “Just to give in to the aggressor, that is not something that we can agree upon after what we have gone.” [02:32]
Notable Point: The U.S. shift in favor has amplified Ukrainian uncertainties amid waning European aid.

4. Wall Street Decline

[02:49 – 03:27]

S&P 500 Slide:
- On track for its worst day in three weeks, led by a tech sector drop.
- Broadcom’s weak forecast dragged down Nvidia, Oracle, and tech stocks in general.
Impact: The market correction highlights fragility amid tech sector volatility.

5. Trump Issues Inconsequential Pardon to Tina Peters

[03:27 – 04:09]

About Tina Peters: Former Mesa County, Colorado clerk convicted for improper access to voting machines post-2020 election; currently serving a state sentence.
Presidential Pardon Claim: Trump declares a full pardon for Peters on social media, although legally, he cannot pardon state convictions.
Political Response:
- Benta Berkland (Colorado Public Radio): “Democrats point out that she was convicted by a jury of her peers in a Republican part of Colorado.” [04:01]
- Trump frames Peters as a patriot, maintaining her innocence.
Notable Moment: The story calls attention to legal and political realities of presidential pardon powers.

6. Major Labor and Religious Events Abroad

[04:09 – 04:53]

Italy:
- Nationwide strike disrupted transportation, health, and school services in protest against government budget plans.
- Railways were particularly affected.
Mexico:
- The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe drew thousands to Mexico City’s basilica, featuring traditional music, candles, and bottle rockets.
- Pilgrims prayed for health and commemorated the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1531.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

“We saw huge logs floating down the river, even a couple of power poles… People are really worried about downed power lines and just getting around and then also just getting home and finding, you know, in what state their farm is going to be in, what state their home is going to be in.”
- Casey Martin, NPR [00:32]
“Head Start plays a key role in helping young children with disabilities, though the list also includes the word disabilities.”
- Cory Turner, NPR [01:48]
“Just to give in to the aggressor, that is not something that we can agree upon after what we have gone.”
- Ivana Klimpushtinsata, Ukrainian Lawmaker [02:32]
“Democrats point out that she was convicted by a jury of her peers in a Republican part of Colorado.”
- Benta Berkland, Colorado Public Radio [04:01]

Structured Timeline of Key Segments

00:15: Flood evacuation in Washington state
00:57: Head Start word ban lawsuit
01:52: Ukraine pressured on Donbas at Paris talks
02:49: S&P 500 tech-driven decline
03:27: Trump’s controversial pardon announcement for Tina Peters
04:09: Italy’s national strike and Mexico’s Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration

This episode delivers a rapid yet thorough update on pressing stories in U.S. domestic policy, global affairs, the economy, and cultural happenings, balancing journalistic clarity with firsthand reporting and direct quotes.

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Transcript13 lines

[00:00]
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This message comes from Capital One with the Capital One Saver card. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment. Capital One, what's in your wallet? Terms apply. Details@capitalone.com.
[00:15]
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. In flood ravaged parts of the state of Washington, National Guard troops went door to door this morning to evacuate homes in agricultural areas. NPR's Casey Martin reports. As cresting rivers recede, there will be problems.
[00:32]
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There will be a lot of cleanup. You know, there were a lot of downed trees. We saw huge logs floating down the river, even a couple of power poles floating down the river. The last flood that really affected this area a couple of years ago, one of the main highways was closed for four days afterwards. So people are really worried about downed power lines and just getting around and then also just getting home and finding, you know, in what state their their farm is going to be in, what state their home is going to be in.
[00:58]
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Court documents show some Head Start early childhood programs are being told by the Trump administration to remove list of nearly 200 words from their funding applications. NPR's Cory Turner explains the list of.
[01:10]
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Prohibited words includes accessible, black, minority and women. It came to light as part of a lawsuit filed by multiple Head Start programs against the Trump administration, arguing that its ban on diversity, equity and inclusion runs afoul of Congress's intent for Head Start. The head of a Wisconsin based Head Start told the court her recent funding request was returned, with the Trump administration telling her to please remove the following words. Included was a long list titled words to limit or avoid in government documents. Head Start plays a key role in helping young children with disabilities, though the list also includes the word disabilities. Cory Turner, NPR News.
[01:52]
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Ukrainian and European representatives will be in Paris tomorrow for more talks on Ukraine. NPR's Joanna Kakissis reports the U.S. is pressing Ukraine to cede the eastern region of Donbas to Russia.
[02:05]
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Public opinion polls show that Ukrainians strongly oppose giving up territory to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he's exploring whether to hold a public referendum on the issue. Though holding elections during wartime is against Ukraine's constitution, the Trump administration is favoring Moscow in negotiations. Lawmaker Ivana Klimpushtinsata says facing Russia without US Support would be incredibly difficult.
[02:32]
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But just to give in to the aggressor, that is not something that we can agree upon after what we have gone.
[02:40]
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European leaders say they stand with Ukraine, but Europe's financial support to Ukraine has declined this year. Joanna Kakissis, NPR News Kyiv.
[02:50]
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On Wall street, The S&P 500 is on track for its worst day in three weeks as Gravity is pulling down technology superstars Multi Platform. Broadcom, which supplies semiconductors and infrastructure products, pulled the tech sector down with a weak forecast. Nvidia and Oracle have also lost ground. At this hour, the S&P 500 down 73 points. This is NPR. In a social media post, President Trump says he's granting a full pardon for incarcerated former Colorado clerk Republican Tina Peters. Details from Benta Berkland with member station Colorado Public Radio.
[03:28]
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Peters was convicted of state crimes for allowing an unauthorized person to access Mesa County's Dominion voting machines months after the 2020 election in search of voter fraud. She's in state prison and appealing her conviction. She maintains her innocence and says she was preserving election records. Trump says Democrats have been relentless towards Peters. He says she's a patriot who simply wanted to make sure our elections were fair and honest. Trump can't legally pardon Peters for a state conviction. Democrats point out that she was convicted by a jury of her peers in a Republican part of Colorado. For NPR News, I'm Benta Berkland.
[04:10]
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Transportation, health and school services were disrupted in Rome today as Italy's largest trade union called a national strike in protest of the Italian government's budget plans. Railway transportation was the most affected public sector in the strike action. In Mexico City, the feast of Our lady of Guadalupe has drawn throngs of faithful to the Catholic basilica in her name. The Virgin of Guadalupe, as she is known, was said to have appeared to a peasant in 1531, leaving her in image imprinted on his cloak, which is displayed today in the church. Pilgrims with their music, candles and bottle rockets traveled to pray for health and commemorate their shared belief. I'm Luis Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.
[04:54]
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